A friend who gets her nails done at a small salon in Cahaba Heights had been raving about the food being served at the neighboring Fig Tree Café, so recently I accompanied her to the new restaurant for lunch. The Fig Tree is located in a small, freestanding building which is split between the two tenants—the salon and the cafe. Salon parking is around back. Climb the steps and enter from the deck.

The restaurant is small -- we counted 18 seats inside -- and super casual. On a recent weekday before noon, there were only two other tables of diners besides us. However, we did see a few folks stopping by to pick up takeout orders.

We started with a shared appetizer. Fried green tomatoes ($8.95) consisted of four large tomato slices, coated in a well-seasoned cornmeal batter and fried crunchy, then topped with diced red pepper and served with a delicious, garlicky remoulade sauce.

The lunch menu features entrees and sandwiches priced from $8.95 to $12.95. Choices range from Mahi fish tacos, burgers and po boys, to steak salad and chicken fried chicken.

The daily lunch special, Cajun pasta ($9.95), consisted of a generous portion of pasta dressed in a luscious Cajun cream sauce. This can be topped with blackened chicken or shrimp for a few dollars more. Thinly sliced blackened chicken breast was tender and well-seasoned. Bits of green onion provided a fresh burst of color and texture.

Blackened shrimp with Hoppin' John ($11.95) was a tasty dish of cayenne-dusted shrimp, black-eyed peas, wild rice, red pepper and onion -- perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of spiciness. An accompanying side of collard greens was perfectly prepared -- well-seasoned and not overly cooked.

For dessert, we shared a delicious caramel salted brownie ($5.95), generously drizzled with caramel sauce, lightly sprinkled with sea salt, and served warm.

A dinner visit:

A follow-up evening visit on a stormy Friday night, again found the small dining room less than crowded. However, our server said sometimes Friday and Saturday nights can get pretty busy, so reservations are a good idea.

A shared appetizer of two small crab cakes ($11.95) was possibly the best we've ever tasted. Mostly crab meat with minimal, if any, filler, the cakes were topped with a dicing of red peppers and a repeat of the tasty remoulade sauce. We also shared a simple, but fresh and tasty dinner salad ($3.50) dressed in balsamic vinaigrette.

Shrimp and grits ($14.95), a house favorite, did not disappoint -- generously portioned, creamy and delicious. Steak frites -- steak with truffle fries -- ($15.95), was the only selection that received less than stellar reviews. The steak, which was wonderfully seasoned and prepared a nice true medium doneness, was sliced thin, across the grain, yet was still not exceptionally tender. However, the thin-cut fries, drizzled with truffle oil and topped with a fresh grating of Parmesan cheese, were delightful.

Overall, the food at the Fig Tree is exceptional, and far exceeds what one would expect, given the super-casual attitude and reasonable prices. Service is friendly and fluctuates between prompt and average.

There is a kids menu, with meals priced at $4.95. Brunch is served on weekends. Full service catering is also available. In fact, the Fig Tree started as a catering business and only recently added the cafe. There is no liquor license, but wine glasses are available and diners are welcome to bring their own bottle.

There remain a few small kinks to be worked out. For example, if you need to use the restroom, the waitress will lead you outside and into the salon next door, to the building's only restroom. We were told the café may add its own restroom at some point in the future.